1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, archival, limited-edition, signed & numbered, fine-art print

The Print

This archival, limited-edition, fine-art pigment print depicts the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, one of the greatest sports cars ever made, also one of the rarest. Of the Series I cars, which all share the original body style, only 33 were built between 1962 and 1963. 

This piece is available in three sizes:

• A 70-inch x 39.4-inch print (including a 2-inch, unprinted border) limited to an edition of 12.

All pieces are:

• hand-signed and numbered

• printed at one of the world’s best printers, using ultra-high-quality pigments

• printed on 100% cotton, 300 gsm, matte-finish, archival, fine-art paper

The original drawing was created, by-hand (using a stylus and graphics tablet), in Adobe Illustrator, on a vintage Macintosh computer, by the artist Nik Schulz.

Each piece ships unframed with a document packet including a certificate of authenticity and handling instructions.

The total number of prints from from both editions is 33, the same as the total number of Ferrari 250 GTO, Series I cars produced.

More about the Ferrari 250 GTO

The 250 GTO was both a grand tourer, and an out-and-out race car. The “250” in its name denotes the displacement (in cubic centimeters) of each of its twelve cylinders. “GTO” stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, Italian for “Grand Touring Homologated.”

The engine was the race-proven Tipo 168/62 Comp. 3.0 L (2,953 cc) V12 as used in the 250 Testa Rossa Le Mans winner. An all-alloy design utilizing a dry sump and six 38DCN Weber carburetors, it produced approximately 300 PS (296 bhp; 221 kW) at 7500 rpm and 294 N⋅m; 217 lbf⋅ft (30 kg⋅m) at 5500 rpm of torque. The gearbox was a new 5-speed unit.

The engine and chassis components of the 250 GTO were ones that had been proven in earlier competition cars. The chassis was based on that of the 250 GT SWB, with minor differences in frame structure and geometry to reduce weight and ride height while increasing stiffness. The car was built around a hand-welded, oval-tube frame, incorporating A-arm front suspension, rear live-axle with Watt’s linkage, disc brakes, and Borrani wire wheels. 

Bizzarrini focused his design effort on the car’s aerodynamics in an attempt to improve top speed and stability. The body design was informed by wind tunnel testing at Pisa University as well as road and track testing with several prototypes. The resulting all-aluminum bodywork had a long, low nose, small radiator inlet, and distinctive air intakes on the nose with removable covers. Early testing resulted in the addition of a rear spoiler. 

The minimalist interior, and the exposed metal gate defining the shift pattern, reflected the car’s racing intentions. There was no speedometer. Seats were cloth-upholstered. Neither carpeting nor a headliner was installed. 

Handbuilt production, updates, and repairs throughout each car’s competition history result in differences both visible and invisible between individual 250 GTOs. Variance in air intake/vent configuration is common among cars. Modifications to the original bodywork were performed by the factory, Scaglietti, or other body shops, usually after crashes or according to a racing team’s wishes.

The 250 GTO’s racing debut was at the 1962 12 Hours of Sebring, driven by American Phil Hill (the Formula One World Driving Champion at the time) and Belgian Olivier Gendebien. Although originally annoyed that they were driving a GT-class car instead of one of the full-race 250 Testa Rossas competing in the prototype class, the experienced pair impressed themselves (and everyone else) by finishing second overall behind the Testa Rossa of Bonnier and Scarfiotti. 

The 250 GTO is now one of the most valuable collector cars in the world, and represents to many those characteristics that most quintessentially typify what makes a great Ferrari: a high-revving, short-stroke engine with many smaller-displacement pistons, a gorgeous form, and transcendent performance and drivability.

For many more it is nothing less than legend.